IronGear Rolling Mill Pickups - Matt Thorpe - Gibson Les Paul Standard - Little Wing Improvisation

[chezarii]

Hi Matt, amazing cover I must say, and the sounds is superb. Do u play it in E minor or Eb minor?

[jel6692]

Man, that's sounds spectacular! Thanks for the demo.

[Xonoxsuka]

UBER TONE, wiring these into a Gibson LP and wiring these into a Fender Strat would create 2 different tones because of the difference between parallel and series wiring would that be right? and thanks for sharing.

[Mattukgtr]

@Xonoxsuka given a standard strat without S1 switching there would be no difference in sound other than that imposed by the guitars contsruction. Except there would be no way of getting the LP twin pickup sound on the strat unless don't wire in the middle pickup and use a 3 way switch or I guess you could put three humbuckers on it !!

[FruitOfHavoc]

I need a little advice here: I just bought a pair of iron gear pups (hot slag bridge, rolling mill neck,both zebra without covers) and I'd like to know if I should have a 500k pot for the neck rolling mill too, other than for the hot slag at the bridge. I'm putting 'em into a les paul too.

[Mattukgtr]

@FruitOfHavoc - yes I would replace both pots with 500k

[FruitOfHavoc]

@Mattukgtr thanks, I'll follow your advice and replace both then!

[ChineseR0ck]

is the bridge one OW?

[Mattukgtr]

@ChineseR0ck - actually it is overwound. At the time I ordered overwound was not available on Rolling Mill bridge. I had assumed the pickup was the 9k version. Last month I measured it at 12.9k DC. They must have had some trial overwound pups that got mixed up at axetec.

[ChineseR0ck]

@MattukgtrThanks for the reply :) What do you think of it?

[Mattukgtr]

@ChineseR0ck - I like it but I would get it without the cover if I bought it again. It can sound a bit dull through the wrong amp. I've now taken the cover off and it's much better, more edge to the sound now.

[axemanev]

good sound mate :>}}

[axemanev]

@axemanev

[MrDavidhowellevansDB]

i am asking only because i am very impressed with your solos and melodies there of and want to learn more about what goes on when your playing. I can see you like (just like most if not all blusey-ish jazz-ish player) like the pentatonics but of course you seem to go outside of them a good bit as well, i think i heard some dorian and mixo phrasing in there?

[MrDavidhowellevansDB]

can we talk theory a bit here matt? when soloing what do you find yourself landing on the most or what "pattern" so you see as a "home" around your solos?

[Mattukgtr]

@MrDavidhowellevansDB - My soloing method evolved over many years - I know nothing of named scales in books. Scales are ok to get you started but ignore them as soon as yo can. My starting point would be in a box bound by the root note on the E strings and the root on the D string - just leave out the notes that sound wrong !!

[MrDavidhowellevansDB]

@Mattukgtr thanks alot, i just really like your style and was wondering how you feel out your solo.

[Mattukgtr]

@MrDavidhowellevansDB - I guess I just have in mind the original Hendrix solo but i also like the Sting version and The Corrs did I nice solo on their version too - never learnt these note for note but thinking of them when playing helps you find where to go or at least recognise it when you find it ! The progression sometimes steers the licks a bit country or southern rock-ish too ! As far as feeling it out I dunno - if I build to a peak I like to bring it down low and build it up over again!

[edhok78]

how about the pickup height??what's the height from the strings to the magnet poles? neck and bridge pickup please..

thanks..nice tone..

[b00tas]

Great playing man!! And great tone!

[littlebendixon]

do you think those pups would work well in an epiphone dot? at the moment im stuck between these and tonerider alnico 4 classics

[Mattukgtr]

Yes they would be well suited to the dot. I put the original Gibson pickups back in my Les paul and put these pickups into my Hagstrom Viking a similar semi to the Epi dot and they sound great !

[ButtersGettingHard]

sounds great man.

Actually your style reminds me of Brent Hinds of Mastodons solo style.

[razormusik]

Could you do a demo with the neck pickup in this guitar? I'm thinking about getting one of these pickups, and I've only heard bridge demos for mahogany guitars.

[Mattukgtr]

I can't demo the Rolling Mill neck in the Gibson as having recently had the frets dones I decided to return it's original Gibson pickups. The Rolling Mill Neck is on my Ibanez Ar300 video - this is mahogany body & maple topped similar to a LP - hope this helps!

[hendo2209]

Superb tone and taste - congratulations. I've just wired a set of Rolling Mills into a Tokai - time to go and see if I can get anything like your sound!

I suspect that I'll have to work on my playing for quite a while before I get anywhere near your level!

[JakArcher]

How big (if any) was the tonal difference from the stock pups you had to the IronGear Rolling Mills because I'm really interested in these pickups.

BTW great playing !!

[Mattukgtr]

The stock pickups on this guitar were the 490R/498T. They sounded more sweet and smooth compared to the Rolling Mills which have more edge and I suppose vintage colouration. The bridge Rolling Mill has less power so need to be played harder. If you have a very dirty amp they may be ideal.

Hope this helps.

[Mattukgtr]

I just discovered that this guitar has 300k pots instead of the more usual 500k- this will affect the tone considerably.

[Mattukgtr]

Now wired up with 500k volume pots and the Rolling Mills sound more like what I think I expected. It's worth checkng what pots you have ! However the original Gibson 498T sounds so much better that it did now with the new pots and so has replaced the Rolling Mill bridge - also because it has more output.

[najtrows]

sounds great, so hard to decide..

Irongear, GFS or Tonerider :O

[melsamjay]

Listened to them all. Your right: these pickups on this Les Paul sound beyond perfect..(check out a young guy coulsonsam /youtube/playing Bareknuckle Nailbombs on his Les Paul..They very much sound the business...Love your phrasing; thoughtful and well timed.A+

[Mustang1204]

Which scale do you play here? Im kinda clueless. Is this a dur scale or a pentatonic?

[alexmc69]

Hi... I recently picked up a pair of Rolling Mills but can't seem to get *that* sound out of them with my XT Live; would you please be so kind as to post you basic XT settings? Many thanks (excellent playing, BTW!)..

[Mattukgtr]

PODxt settings are: Plexi Lead 100. Drive: 12 o clock Bass: Full Middle: Full Treble: 2 o'clock Pres: 2 o'clock Vol: 3 o'clock Cab:21 4x12 Brit V30's. Mic: 2: 57 Off axis with 50% room Stomp: Classic Distortion Drive:17% Gain 80% Tone:40%. Reverb: Medium Hall all params on 50% if this doesn't nail it !! .......

[alexmc69]

Thanks for such a prompt and detailed reply! The exact same settings on my gear don't sound as nice at all; less 'bite' and sparkle on the top... must be your playing, I guess!

[nickthenail]

Matt- Always a pleasure to hear you play...

How's that LS150 holding up?

[Mattukgtr]

LS150 is still my fave guitar !

[nickthenail]

Wow, that's quite a comment about Tokai coming from someone with your skill/ ability!

[wickedmojo]

killer! great playing!

[M4774NJ4H]

Yeah the sound is GREAT but there's also the POD share in it ;) In fact it doesn't really matter, after all the most important thing is the stunning final effect you achieved :D

Nice "Little Wingish" improvisation ;)

[davidarlette]

Sounds fantastic. Is it wired in that Peter Green/ Gary Moore way? Beaut playing too.

[Mattukgtr]

No standard wiring and polarity - thanks

[FenderDann]

These Rolling Mills are sounding great!

Excellent playing as usual!

Great job